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CHAPTER28
Calista fell backwards. There was nothing, a weightlessness, her only anchor Ronan’s arm, and then her butt hit the bouncy slide. “Oomph.”
Ronan landed beside her, but he lost his grip on her.
Pop music played, and shouts came from above, followed by heavy laughter. Calista and Ronan were sliding fast. The first bump in the crispy bacon shaped surface slowed her enough to dig the heels of her sneakers into the plastic to try and stop her descent. The rubber skidded, squealed, but her feet wouldn’t grab purchase. Her body was zooming toward the vat of syrup.
Liam jabbed the sky with his arm. “Go, Captain. Go, Calista.”
The smell of breakfast increased with every foot, and she couldn’t stop gravity. Swoosh. Calista reached the end and sank into the viscous syrup. She shoved her feet down and was covered up to her chest in an instant. Beside her, Ronan spread his arms. He pushed against the surface, but his hands sank into the goo. His surprised, bewildered expression was adorable.
Their gazes caught, and they laughed. A worker pointed up at the platform. “Incoming, clear the vat.”
Calista looked up.
Liam was in dive position with his arms straight out over head, knees bent.
Oh, wow, Liam should not go down face first. Oh well, she was not his keeper. Calista waded through the syrup toward the side.
Every move called for a conscious shove against the liquid’s thick resistance. Now, this was a workout. Yogi Murharwi should add this to the yoga studio floor. She snickered at the image.
Ronan smiled and took her hand, tugging her with him. He reached to the side first. He let go, grasped the top of the bowl with his wide arms and half vaulted, half slid over and out. Once he righted his feet, he leaned in to scoop her free.
His move was reminiscent of their time at the Mer-bar, but this go around had a unique sticky clinging pull. The other difference was that last time she had wanted to avoid the crowd and sneak out. Now, she wanted to escape with him.
Calista gained her feet.
Ronan released her. He arched his eyebrow. “You, okay?”
Calista nodded.
A worker hurried over with white terrycloth robes with crown emblems and the date embroidered on the front. She hadn’t known about the robes, but they were clever brunch souvenirs. The worker held the robe by the shoulders and got behind her.
Calista shrugged her goo-sticky arms through the sleeves. The terrycloth instantly adhered to her skin.
The worker let go, then stepped carefully around the pool of syrup at her feet to raise the second robe up for Ronan. “You’re a wild man, Captain.” The worker held out his knuckles for a fist bump, glanced again at the puddle, and jerked his hand back. He nodded at Calista next. “If you go in the bar after going in that syrup, someone’s losing their deposit.” He shook his head and then jogged over to the stairs where partiers had lined up. “Bring more robes,” he shouted to one of the other workers.
There was laughing reluctance from some of the people in line and eager faces on others.
Above them, Liam and Kiernan still hadn’t gone. They were making elaborate diving motions, playing up to the crowd.
“Go Liam,” the partiers in line cheered. “Go Kiernan,” they continued.
In the end, Liam and Kiernan chose the classic slide position of feet first and hands high. With a whoosh, the two men raced down the ramp. They landed one after the other into the syrup and high fived each other.
Liam’s expression was as blissed out as she could imagine.
Vivien and Olivia came to her side. “That was something.” Vivien whistled. “How was it?”
Calista gave a thumbs up though her review was really mixed. The slide adrenaline had been a rush, and the ooey-gooey had been fun. Now she felt the way she did after a day at the beach. Though, instead of sandy covered and hot, she was sticky chilled. She tapped her fingers together and watched the strands of syrup web between them. “I need a shower.”
“You’re getting in your car like that?” Olivia’s hazel eyes got big. “Even with the robes, you’re still covered in syrup.”
Calista shrugged. “Got to get home somehow.” She chewed on her bottom lip. “We should have brought in portable showers.”
Vivien nodded. “Next time.”
“Someone else should drive. If you sit really still, you might not make a total mess.” Olivia jerked back and held up her palms realizing her words could be taken as an invitation. “Don’t look at me,” Olivia said. “I don’t even let people eat in my car, this is next level.” Olivia looked at Vivien, then they both eyed the bowl of shimmering maple syrup, and back at each other. “I’ve never seen anything like this.”
